BELLA MIA - KAIMUKI

BELLA MIA
HONOLULU, HAWAII 

My daughter was telling me that she wanted pasta for lunch.  We were in Kaimuki so I decided to try Bella Mia again.  We have dined at one of Bella Mia's other locations and were not fans of the thick and cheesy pizza but loved the large portions and reasonable prices.  I was surprised when the waitress greeted our table with a bowl of piping hot bread and marinara sauce.  Nice start to lunch I thought.  We tried the Pasta with Meat Sauce for $10.95.  My wife told the waitress that she would be sharing the pasta with my daughter.   Rather than bring out one big plate of pasta and throw an extra plate down, the chef prepared two plates of pasta for the price of one.  The waitress delivered two beautiful and large portions of pasta to our table.  Really impressed with this service.  Also impressed with the amount of meat in the sauce and the flavor of the sauce.  This was good pasta.  Everyone liked the flavor.  I ordered the Hot Italian Combination Sandwich ($9.95).  This is a huge sandwich piled with meat and melted cheese.  Liked the lettuce and tomato to add crunch, color and fresh taste.  We spent $20 here and took about half of the pasta and half the sandwich home.  Really good deal.  I would return here more often if I could convince the chef to make a thin crust pizza with light toppings.  Bella Mia delivered on service, price and taste.  Great job!  We will return again.

BELLA MIA HALF PORTION OF PASTA WITH MEAT SAUCE

SMALL, QUAINT INTERIOR

EAT AT BELLA MIA

VIEW FROM OUR TABLE LOOKING INTO RESTAURANT

VIEW FROM TABLE LOOKING OUT INTO BEAUTIFUL KAIMUKI

HOT ROLLS WITH MARINARA SAUCE

TWO PLATES OF PASTA FOR $10.95.
CHEF SPLIT THE ORDER IN KITCHEN.  GREAT SERVICE!

HOT ITALIAN COMBINATION SANDWICH

ENTRANCE IS HIDDEN BETWEEN OTHER
RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS IN KAIMUKI

BC BURRITO

BC BURRITO
HONOLULU, HAWAII

I ate at BC Burrito years ago when they first opened. Back then, I remember that it was terrible and never went back.  The place has remained open for many years so I decided to give it another try.  When you enter BC Burrito it seems like a mess.  Attention to details or cleanliness is not a priority.  Neither is customer service.  We did not receive a "hi", "bye" or anything else.  We approached the counter and looked up at the menu that is on the wall.  All Burritos and one Taco option.  You are supposed to select your filling (Chicken Mole, Chicken Bay Leaf, Carnitas, Chile Verde, Veggie, Carne Asada, Soyrizo or Shirmp) and then add your toppings.  A Regular 10" Burrito is $6.29.  Add $.50 for Cheese and $1.00 for Guacamole.  The Gutbuster Burrito with two 12" tortillas will set you back $15.  A Super Burrito in a 12" tortilla with cheese, rice, beans, filling and salsa is $7.29.  We ordered a Regular Burrito ($6.29) with Chicken Bay Leaf.  First off the burrito or Jalapeño Tortilla that we chose smelled terrible.  The chicken tasted like it was just boiled.  Very little flavor.  After two bites I threw in the towel on this dog.  The Carne Asada Taco ($4.49) consists of two overlapped 6" corn tortillas, beef, melted cheese, black beans and salsa.  This taco should not have been served.  The tortilla was so old that it was cracked in pieces.  You could not pick up either end of the taco without the tortilla breaking apart.  Never could get to eat this like a taco.  We had to get a fork and pick out the Carne Asada that was more like stewed meat.  It had flavor, but not like a Mexican restaurant.  BC Burrito is not my favorite.  It really has no Mexican flavors with the exception of the salsa.  We bolted down the street after eating here to have a good lunch.  Will never return to this place.  

UPDATE 3/13 - BC BURRITO CLOSED.  SOMETIMES I CALL EM RIGHT

BC REGULAR BURRITO WITH CHCKEN BAY LEAF

BC BURRITO ON WAIALAE AVENUE IN KAIMUKI

MENU IS ON WALL.  ORDER AT THE COUNTER.

HOT SAUCE TABLE

MENU (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

HOW TO ORDER YOUR BC BURRITO
(CLICK TO ENLARGE)

SIDE ORDER OF CHIPS AND SALSA ($1.85)

CARNE ASADA TACO

TORTILLA SPLITTING INTO PIECES

IMPOSSIBLE TO PICK UP THE TACO.
THE TORTILLA JUST RIPPED APART.

THE YARD HOUSE WAIKIKI

THE YARD HOUSE WAIKIKI

ENTRANCE OF LEWERS BEAUTIFUL BEACH WALK

VERY LOUD DINING ROOM ADJACENT TO GREAT BAR 

GREAT STACK OF ONION RINGS

CALAMARI WAS SOFT AND BLAND

COCONUT SHRIMP WERE LARGE AND DELICIOUS

CHCKEN WRAPS

LOBSTER NOODLES 

MAHI MAHI CRUSTED WITH MACADAMIA NUTS

MAHI MAHI BLACKENED

CHEESEBURGER WITH FRENCH FRIES

GRILLED FRESH ONO

CHICKEN WITH MUSTARD AND TARRAGON CREAM SAUCE

CHICKEN WITH MUSTARD AND TARRAGON SAUCE

DINNER AT HOME 

Had a bunch of nice chicken thighs and some Tarragon that was not going to last another week in our refrigerator.  Found a very easy recipe that combined the chicken and tarragon with other ingredients we had on hand.  My Wolf Cooktop decided to die on me in the middle of cooking this dish so I improvised and finished cooking everything on a portable two burner electric cooktop that we keep in the garage.  Simply brown up the chicken thighs in some butter and olive oil. Remove from pan and set aside.  Saute 3/4 cup of shallots until translucent.  Add 1/4 cup of red wine and simmer to reduce.  Whisk in 1 cup of chicken broth and put the chicken pieces in the broth.  Simmer for around 20 minutes.  Remove chicken and add 1/2 cup heavy creme, 2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard and 4 teaspoons of freshly chopped tarragon to the chicken broth.  Boil until sauce thickens.  Serve over the chicken.  This dish was pretty easy and very delicious.  Nice flavor with the tarragon and a bit different than your average chicken thigh dishes.

CHICKEN WITH MUSTARD AND TARRAGON CREAM SAUCE

BONELESS, SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHS FROM SAM'S CLUB

FRESH LOCAL TARRAGON GROWN IN WAIANAE

SAUTE 3/4 CUPS OF SHALLOTS AND THEN A 1/4 CUP
OF RED WINE.  REDUCE AND ADD 1 CUP OF CHICKEN BROTH.
RETURN CHICKEN THIGHS TO BROTH MIXTURE AND
SIMMER FOR 20 MINUTES

BROWNED CHICKEN ON BOTH SIDES FOR AROUND 5 MINUTES

REMOVED CHICKEN FROM SKILLET AND ADDED
1/2 CUP HEAVY CREME, 4 TABLESPOONS FRESH TARRAGON
AND 2 TEASPOONS OF DIJON MUSTARD

SHRIMP VODKA PASTA

SHRIMP VODKA PASTA

DINNER AT HOME

Made a really delicious Shrimp Vodka Pasta for dinner.  This was really good dish that I highly recommend you try at home.  The recipe is fast and easy.  I started by chopping up lots of garlic.  Used half to marinate the shrimp and half to sauté and add to sauce.  Marinated the shrimp in chopped garlic and some Italian Salad Dressing that we had in the refrigerator.  Chopped up some shallots and sautéed them in olive oil with the remaining garlic.  Added 1/3 cup of good vodka and cooked for little over one minute.  Added Bertolli Tomato and Basil Sauce along with some heavy creme, salt, pepper and fresh thyme.  Let the sauce simmer on low while I cooked the shrimp in a separate pan.  Made sure that I did not overcook the shrimp as they were to finish cooking in the sauce.  Added the shrimp to the sauce and served with spaghetti.  This was restaurant quality good.  My wife said she would order this in a restaurant over and over again.

Note:  You really do not need to marinate the shrimp.  There is enough flavor in the sauce if you don't have the extra time.

SHRIMP VODKA PASTA

SHRIMP VODKA PASTA

SAUTE SHALLOTS AND GARLIC IN A LITTLE OLIVE OIL.
ADD 1/3 CUP OF VODKA AND COOK FOR ONE MINUTE

ADD 1 1/2 CUPS OF BERTOLLI TOMATO AND BASIL SAUCE,
1/4 CUP OF CREME, FRESH TYME, SALT AND PEPPER

MARINATED THE RAW SHRIMP IN CHOPPED GARLIC
AND A BIT OF ITALIAN SALAD DRESSING FOR ONE HOUR.
COOKED THE SHRIMP IN A SEPARATE PAN UNTIL SLIGHTLY
UNDERCOOKED.  THEN ADDED THEM TO THE SAUCE TO FINISH

SHRIMP VODKA PASTA

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII SAND VOLLEYBALL

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII SAND VOLLEYBALL

QUEEN'S BEACH SANDBOX, WAIKIKI

JANE CROSON / LARISSA NORDYKE

VS

EMILY HARTONG / LIZ STOLTZMAN

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII SAND VOLLEYBALL

UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII

SAND VOLLEYBALL

QUEENS BEACH SANDBOX

WAIKIKI 

The University of Hawaii unveiled the NCAA's newest sport on Queens Beach in Waikiki.  Woman's Sand Volleyball made its debut amongst a crowd of loyal Wahine Volleyball fans and tourists who probably did not expect to see World Class Beach Volleyball on their vacation.  We settled in the sand mid morning and were so swept up in the play that when it was over we had spent nearly seven hours in the sun.  We pitched our portable chairs on Court 1 of 4.  Good for us because court 1 turned out to be the main venue for the semi-final and final rounds. The day began with Hawaii playing Nittaidai from Japan.  The Japanese girls were not much of a foe but did look good in their bikinis.  Next up was Hawaii Pacific University vs Hawaii.  Hawaii dominated which set up an all University of Hawaii final.  Jane Croson and Larrisa Nordyke vs Emily Hartong and Liz Stoltzman.  I love Jane Croson.  She is a volleyball stud.  She will go down as one of the best players in the storied history of University of Hawaii Woman's Volleyball.  Jane is a fierce competitor and talented beyond description.  She is a rare athlete that can dominate on all levels.  Her serve is deadly and she can kill the ball with the best of them.  That said, Croson/Nordyke lost in three matches to Hartong/Stoltzman.  What a great day on the beach.  If you are a Wahine Volleyball fan this is the way to see your favorite players up close and in a relaxed environment.  Looking forward to the inaugural season of NCAA Woman's Sand Volleyball. (note: photos from previous match and not the finals)

JANE CROSON - ONE OF THE BEST WAHINE EVER!

CROSON AND NORDYKE READY FOR ACTION